By Roysdale Forde, S.C, M.P- On the heels of the suspicious death of 11- year- old, Adriana Younge, (a tragedy that rocked not only communities in West Bank Demerara but also all of Guyana), today, we, in Guyana, have yet another opportunity to reflect on the beyond poor governance of this PPP/C authoritarian regime, the decimation of certain shared values of our society, and the erosion of foundational and fundamental pillars of democracy.
In fact, as the world observes Labour Day today, we, here, in Guyana find ourselves at a troubling crossroads. In a land newly enriched by oil — one of the fastest-growing economies in the hemisphere — our teachers, nurses, police officers, and other public servants continue to endure lives of quiet suffering. Despite the promise of prosperity, the overwhelming majority of those who keep this country functioning earn less than USD $600 a month. It is an insult not just to their labour, but to the dignity of work itself.
Under the stewardship of the PPP/C government, public service has become a field of exploitation rather than a foundation for nation-building. While hardworking public servants are handed pittances disguised as salaries, the government’s close allies, friends, and families are awarded lavish state contracts, some totaling hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars, in what has become a grotesque dance of crony capitalism. It is shame.
This regime’s attitude toward workers is not just callous; it is calculated. The persistent undermining of trade unions, the strategic division of worker solidarity, and the open disregard for workers’ rights have come to characterised PPP/C governance. Instead of empowering workers, the government weakens them. Instead of dialogue and reform, it offers empty rhetoric and selective rewards. All the while, the gap between the working poor and the politically connected elite continues to widen.
The massive wealth accumulated by some government officials cannot be explained by their official emoluments. In fact, some businessmen who have been working hard and using their acumen for many years are not as well off materially as some of these officials. Yet, the government and its actors pretend as if all things are bright and beautiful in Guyana, and that public servants are living their best days. Hypocrites!
The hypocrisy is staggering: In an oil-rich nation now earning approximately USD $76.1 million every single day, more than 60% of our people (in a population of less than 1 million people) still live in abject poverty. Basic groceries have become unaffordable luxuries. Schoolchildren go to bed hungry. Healthcare remains underfunded. Law enforcement officers lack resources. Teachers are forced to strike for a living wage. The wealth of the nation is being hoarded and mismanaged by a government that has mastered the art of performance over substance. And when the courts rule in accordance with the law, that might favour the actions and demands of public servants, those justices who lawfully do their duties are publicly criticised by officials in the upper echelon of government.
This Labour Day must be more than ceremonial. It must be a moment of reckoning. I urge every worker in Guyana to reflect on the enduring betrayal by the PPP/C government. Reflect on how the wealth of our children’s future is being siphoned into the hands of a corrupt few. Reflect on the empty promises, the growing inequality, and the deepening frustration that defines daily life for so many.
We must move beyond frustration to action. Let the desire for decent wages, dignity in labour, and equity in opportunity fuel a new kind of resistance. Let us not be blinded by temporary handouts or silenced by divisive tactics. Let the dream of a just Guyana — where public servants are valued and national wealth is shared — drive our collective struggle.
To our workers: your labour is the bedrock of this nation. Your voice is your power. Use it. Organise. Mobilise. Demand better. And remember this: no oil rig, no high- rise building, no billion-dollar contract can stand without you.
Happy Labour Day, Guyana. Let this be the last one we celebrate in silence.
